10 killed in plane crash in Alaska; worst aviation disaster in state in 25 years

10 killed in plane crash in Alaska; worst aviation disaster in state in 25 years

Soldotna is in the upper left-hand corner of the this map.

ANCHORAGE — A de Havilland DHC-3 Otter airplane crashed at Soldotna Airport Sunday, killing all 10 people aboard, making it the worst Alaska aviation accident in at least 25 years, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

The de Havilland DHC-3 Otter airplane crashed at 11:20 a.m. at the Soldotna Airport, according to the Alaska State Troopers and Soldotna Police Department.

The plane was described by the National Transportation Safety Board as operating as an air taxi, the Daily News said.

Witnesses said it was taking off at the time, and that the plane quickly became engulfed in flames. No one made it out of the plane alive.

It’s not clear what caused the crash or whether the accident happened on take-off or landing, said Clint Johnson, the head of the NTSB’s Anchorage office. The agency is sending a national “go-team” to Alaska to investigate the crash because of the number of victims, Johnson said.